Celebrating Clinical Trials Day 2023: Let’s Raise Awareness & Honor Research Professionals

May 20th marks Clinical Trials Day (CTD), an annual day of celebration and reflection for the clinical research community. This date commemorates the day in 1747 when James Lind launched the first-ever clinical trial, laying the foundation for modern clinical research. Since 2005, CTD has been celebrated internationally to raise awareness about the importance of clinical trials and honor clinical research professionals’ contributions.  

In this article, we’ll explore why it’s important to raise awareness about clinical trials and how we can honor the invaluable work of research professionals on this special day. In addition, we’ll explain why supporting and celebrating the people who dedicate their lives to improving public health through clinical research is more important than ever. So, let’s kick off the celebration of Clinical Trials Day 2023 together! 

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My Seat at the (Institutional Review Board) Table

Lauren Surden, MSW, CIP 

Sterling IRB 

I often get asked about the education and experience needed to be selected to serve on an Institutional Review Board (IRB).  The fallback response is that I hold a Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW), however, my education and work experience is only part of what I bring to my seat at the IRB table.  Understanding who makes up an IRB is important in understanding the ethical review process for clinical research. 

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